Word Sharing Circle (WSC) Reflection Guide
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A, Year I)

Community Word: God exalts His faithful servants.

Theme:  God exalts those who use His gifts and blessings wisely.

Promise: “…everyone who has more will be given and he will grow rich.” (Mt. 25:29a)

Reflection:
God created each one of us with distinct gifts, talents and abilities.  He wants us to discover our talents so that we may use them to glorify Him and thus, experience a full life.  Our loving Lord wants us to feel whole and complete and it is through these gifts that we can find our unique calling in life.

Our theme for the week is: God exalts those who use His gifts and blessings wisely.  This means that we should use our gifts not only for our own benefit, but more importantly, to bless others and to build His kingdom.  Because in everything that we do, we should “work heartily as for the Lord,” (Col 3:24a).  For as we use our gifts to honor God and strengthen others in love, they too will be encouraged to use their gifts to benefit others, and all will be enriched.

If we believe that every good and perfect gift is from above, we will value the way we use His gifts just like the worthy wife in the 1st reading.  She has a holy fear of the Lord and uses her gifts wisely. God is pleased with her and sees her as a faithful servant because she is hardworking, industrious, committed and devout. Hardworking because she does not waste time on useless matters but sees to it that everything is in order and everyone in her home is happy and satisfied.  She is committed in that after taking care of her family, “She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy,” (Prv 31: 20).  Finally, she is devout, religious and faithful to God’s commands.  Similarly in Psalms, the quality of a caring husband who also has a holy fear of the Lord is praised, “Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord,” (Ps 128: 4).

In the 2nd reading, St. Paul reminds us that we should not be anxious in knowing the day and the hour of the coming of the Lord because “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night,” (1 Thes 5: 2b).  Instead, we must be more concerned with living our lives that show we are ready for His return and direct our energy towards doing the Father’s will so that we will not be caught in the darkness of evil.  We need not fear the darkness because on the day we were baptized, we became “children of the light and children of the day,” (1 Thes 5: 5a).  Hence, we cannot but stay alert and live in the light of the truth.

In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus teaches us that God will exalt us if we use our blessings and gifts (time, talent and treasures) wisely.  The first two servants who were given seed money for investment came back with profit and they were appreciated by their master and received an affirmation: “Well done, my good and faithful servant….come, share your master’s joy,” (Mt 25:  21).  Despite being given an investment according to his ability, the third servant did nothing to let it grow; so what little he had, this was taken away by his master.

If we neglect and not use our gifts prudently and wisely, God will look on us as lazy and untrustworthy.  It does not matter how great or how little our ability and capability is. What matters to God is whether we make good use of what He gives us.  To whom much is given much will be required.  If God sees us being faithful in small things, we will be entrusted with higher responsibilities.  Even people who are considered poor still has something to give. In like manner, people cannot be very rich as being unable to receive something.  Because serving others brings fulfillment of which wealth, power and possessions can never match.  Jesus assures us, “Everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich.” (Mt 25: 29a).

We need to prepare our life and be fruitful with whatever God has given us so that we will be ready to answer this question at the final judgement: How did you use the gifts and blessings that God has given you?

Prayer:
Lord God, You are so gracious and generous.  By Your goodness, You entrust us with many gifts and expect us to fruitful.  Forgive us if we have failed to act responsibly, misused what You have given us and simply wasted our talents away for fear of failure.  By the example of Your Son, Jesus, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, grant us the grace to give fully of ourselves to serve You and our fellowman.  Amen.

Reflection Guides:
1.What are the gifts and talents God has entrusted or given you?  Have you used them responsibly for yourself, as well as for others?

2.Have you invested your time, talent and treasure to bear fruit that would benefit others in your family, society and community?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
November 19, 2017 (Sun) – Prv 31:10-13, 19, 20, 30, 31/Ps 128:1-5/1Thes 5:1-6/Mt 25:14-30
November 20, 2017(Mon) – 1Mc 1:10-15,41-43,54-57,62,63/Ps119:53,61,134,150,155,158/ Lk 18:35-43
November 21, 2017(Tues) – 2Mc 6:18-31/Ps 3:2-7/Lk 19:1-10
November 22, 2017(Wed) – 2Mc 7:1, 20-31/Ps 17:1, 5, 6, 8, 15/Lk 19:11-28
November 23, 2017 (Thur) – 1Mc 2:15-29/Ps 50:1, 2, 5, 6, and 14, 15/Lk 19:41-44
November 24, 2017 (Fri) – 1Mc 4:3-37, 52-59/1Chr 29:10-12/Lk 19:45-48
November 25, 2017(Sat) – 1Mc 6:1-13/Ps 9:2-4, 6, 16, 19/Lk 20:27-40

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.  Read your Bible daily!”